Hurricane Irma: Homeless struggle over where to go

The Tesar family recounts their journey home from the Pinecrest Elementary School hurricane shelter.
Annika Hammerschlag/Naples Daily News

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People enjoy lunch at Guadalupe Social Services during a point-in-time homeless survey on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017, in Immokalee. The Hunger and Homeless Coalition of Collier County surveyed people in Naples and Immokalee at soup kitchens, social service locations and on the streets to provide an estimate of the numbers and characteristics of individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.(Photo: Nicole Raucheisen/Naples Daily News)Buy Photo

After St. Matthew’s House evacuated 165 residents to a public shelter, staff returned to find people at its East Naples homeless shelter hoping for a place to stay.

Thirty people with diagnoses of mental illness who had been staying in county-opened shelters during Hurricane Irma were put on public transportation buses and sent to St. Matthew’s House shelter in East Naples, said Vann Ellison, president and chief executive officer of the nonprofit shelter organization.

Even before the storm, the shelter was exceeding capacity. Now it is struggling to find ways to accommodate a steady stream of people who show up with no place to go.

St. Matthew's also is in dire need of supplies, like water, nonperishable food and donations to address heightened need after Hurricane Irma and to help pay for property repairs.

The county-run shelters during the storm opened their doors Monday at 7 a.m. and encouraged people to leave after Hurricane Irma passed, which was exactly the opposite of Gov. Rick Scott’s recommendation that they stay put if they don’t know the status of their homes or have no place to go, he said.

“The CAT buses are showing up with someone mentally ill and dropping them off,” Ellison said. “We triage every one and try to keep them safe. If not, they will get hurt.”

About half of the individuals have a dual diagnosis involving a mental health disorder and a substance abuse problem, and the other half are mentally handicapped, he said.

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office had homeless people seeking shelter. Three homeless people showed up at the jail Sunday as the storm was approaching.

“We took them in because it was an emergency situation, and it was the right thing to do,” sheriff’s spokeswoman Michelle Batten said. “They left the jail once the storm threat was over and it was safe for them to leave.”

The vulnerable mentally ill, the homeless, and substance abusers are populations that Collier County leaders and social service agencies have struggled with for years, in terms of how to address their needs and potentially reintegrate in the community. Events like hurricanes drive home the shortage of mental health and substance abuse beds.

St. Matthew’s House has 124 beds at its main shelter at 2001 Airport Road S. and 44 beds at its Immokalee Friendship House, with both locations exceeding capacity.

“We’ve had a waiting list since June 1, 2005, so for 12 years we’ve had a waiting list,’’ Ellison said. “Right now we don’t have the capacity to add capacity any more than what we are doing.”

With the 30 individuals who showed up, Ellison said turning them away would put them at risk. They don’t meet criteria for being committed involuntarily for an assessment under the Baker Act law, where they are considered suicidal or a threat to others. If they met Baker Act criteria, they could be involuntarily committed to the crisis unit at the David Lawrence Center, but that’s not the case.

“We have the mentally unstable,” he said. “We’re keeping them busy and feeding them. This is a crisis time, and people are trying their best.”

Ellison said St. Matthew’s has been in the sheltering business for 30 years and is more than willing to conduct a shelter academy to share what it does to help address the needs of vulnerable populations.

“We would love to host how (a forum on) how can we do better in the community,” he said. “Hospitality is a motive. We want to treat people right.”

St. Matthews sustained damage to its East Naples campus with the thrift store, car wash and coffee shop. There was roof damage to the store and warehouses. All of the businesses that bring in money to support operations are closed until the repairs can be made. To make a donation, go to www.stmatthewshouse.org.

Lisa and David Nagel drove 1,800 miles from Minnesota to Naples to share donated food, water, fuel and other supplies to residents of mobile home communities ravaged by Hurricane Irma.
Shelby Reynolds/Naples Daily News

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Shelby Reynolds/Naples Daily News

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